Mr Parker was born in Preston, but was raised and lived all of his life in Chatburn and was present when the bomb dropped in the village during the Second World War.

The “war baby” mentality stuck with him throughout his life and according to his family, he never threw anything away.

His mother, Annie Parker, worked in the Chatburn Mill, while his older sister, Monica, used to perform at Blackpool Tower and emigrated to America in her twenties and still lives there today.

He attended Clitheroe Royal Grammar School and went on to Manchester University where he was captain of the football team.

As a teenager he worked on the fruit and vegetable stall on Burnley market. After completing his national service in the RAF, he spent a lot of his time travelling the world, working mainly as an English teacher in Austria, Germany, Africa, but it was in New Zealand where he met his wife to be, Kathy.

He couldn’t afford a souvenir so dragged her back to Europe!

A few more years teaching abroad followed and then the family moved into Grindleton, then St Chad’s in Chatburn and the couple had three children - Tania his eldest now in Australia, Raphael who followed him into a teaching career, and Rachael, who is soon to emigrate to New Zealand where Kathy now lives.

In his younger years, as well as playing football, Mr Parker learnt to ski and fell in love with the Austrian Alps - often wishing that he could go back. In later years, hanging up his ski boots to raise a family, he whittled away the time chopping wood. Mr Parker also published a book last year entitled “once upon a time two thousand years ago”.

Paying tribute, his son, Raphael said: “Having been a wordsmith all his life, this fulfilled a lifetime ambition to be published, which we as a family were so proud of. The book is the New Testament in verse and is available at Stockwells Ltd.”

He added: “Dad was opinionated yet would fight anyone’s battles for them. He wouldn’t waste a thing, but was then generous to a fault.

He was a loving father and Opa to his grandchildren and he will be sorely missed.”